Absorbent diapers having closure means for fastening front and rear portions together and of the pants type are known for example from EP-A-0 732 094. Also known in the art are pants-type diapers with reclosable sides, whereby additional side fastening means are provided which, after tearing open one or both of the sides, allow for reclosure of the open sides.
Once a diaper has been used, normally after having first been soiled, it is removed from the user and folded or rolled up to maintain the exudate contents within the diaper. In order to maintain the diaper in a closed state, the side fastening tapes of a side-fastening diaper may each be used to hold the diaper in a closed configuration. This may be done either by, for example, tensioning and joining the side fastening tapes to each other across the outer surface of the closed diaper, or if the backsheet of the diaper is suitable the fastening tapes can each be joined to the back sheet of the closed diaper to keep it closed. In a pants-type diaper, a special disposal means is normally provided since there are typically no side fastening tapes. Such a disposal tape, as shown in the aforementioned EP-A-0 732 094, may then be used. The tape is attached to the backsheet or the topsheet at a laterally middle portion of one of the upper waist edges of the diaper. When the diaper is to be disposed of, the tape is opened and then extended by deforming it, including plastically deforming it, so as to provide a length of tape which can be tied around the closed diaper or adhered with its opposite end to the backsheet of the closed diaper so as to maintain the diaper closed.
Diapers of both the side fastening and pants-type each comprise a front and rear waist portion, which is typically elasticated. The upper edge, in particular of the front waist portion, can be uncomfortable for a wearer when the wearer moves due to the upper edge being relatively narrow, somewhat rigid (especially due to the elastication) and sometimes even relatively sharp. In certain cases, the upper edge of the waist portion may chafe or cut into the wearer's skin. This problem may be particularly accentuated in the laterally central portion of the front waist portion upper edge (i.e. that portion approximately located in line with the wearer's navel when worn).